This invention relates to aseptors or disinfectors for small objects such as contact lenses and the like.
Hydrophilic contact lenses, sometimes referred to as soft contact lenses, must be periodically disinfected or asepticized. Customarily, this asepticizing action is carried out by heating the lenses to a sufficient temperature and for a sufficient period of time in a aqueous saline solution. Various contact lens sterilizers or asepticizers which have been offered for sale accomplished this task. However, many of these units are designed to asepticize the lenses quickly, and for that reason they tend to apply a relatively high temperature to the lenses for a short period of time.
While the foregoing procedure is seemingly a timesaver to the user, the use of high temperatures in the disinfecting process tends to deteriorate the lenses. In this regard it has been found that over a period of time the lenses tend to become less transparent, thus taking on a cloudy appearance. Accordingly, the preferred disinfecting procedure is one in which a lesser temperature is used but for a somewhat longer period of time. Thus, it appears that while many prior art disinfectors utilize temperatures which are near the boiling point of the disinfectant solution (in the order of 100.degree. C.) the preferred "heat history" of the disinfecting cycle is one in which the temperature is in the range of 60.degree. C.-80.degree. C.